Chapter 42
Chapter Forty-Two
JENSEN
“Babe!” Alley’s voice carries down the stairs of our new house.
I’m in the office, knee-deep in boxes, trying to make the space mine.
She gave me free rein on this room, with her sign-off, of course.
It’s the first room you see when you walk in, framed by wide glass double doors.
Basically a fish tank, but a hell of a bonus for us, given our history with office doors.
“Yeah?” I call back.
“Can you come here? I need your help!”
I slide the stack of books in my hand onto the shelf and head upstairs. “Where are you?” I ask halfway up.
“The zoo animal room.”
I round the corner and find her sitting against the wall, looking wiped out.
“What’s up?”
“I hate asking, but… I’m not feeling great, and there are only a few boxes left in this room. You mind?”
My brows pull together. “You don’t feel good? What’s going on?”
Her palm slides across her stomach. “Just a little nauseous. Kind of a headache too. I know, not a great track record. I’m two for two with moving.”
I snicker. “Well, the last move turned out pretty great. Ended with you naked.” I waggle my brows. “I’d be fine with a repeat.”
She laughs, letting her head fall back. “I bet you would.”
I glance around the room. “So what’s this space even for? Storage?”
“Mostly. Just stuff we don’t use much. These last few are miscellaneous, so I’m not sure what’s in them.”
“Alright.” I shrug, pull the razor from my back pocket, and slice open a box.
“Will you start with that one?” Alley points to another.
“Sure.” I move over, stab the blade into the tape, and drag it along the seam. I peel the flaps back, and freeze, confused. “The fuck…?”
Alley tilts her head, pinching her brows. “What is it?”
“Uh…” I rub the back of my neck. “Looks like a bunch of baby shit.” My fingers dig through the contents—books, stuffed animals, toys.
I push aside a blanket, revealing a tiny Chicago Cubs onesie.
I hold it up between two fingers. “Promise me one thing, babe—our kids are not going to be Cubs fans. Yankees, all the way.”
She laughs, rolling her eyes, and I toss it back in the box. I dig deeper to see if there’s anything else, but nope, just a box full of baby stuff that sure as hell isn’t ours. “That’s weird.” I glance up at Alley. “Think the previous owners left it?”
She shrugs, eyes narrowing. “It’s gotta be ours. It was with all our boxes from New York.”
I shake my head. It doesn’t make sense. “Why would—?”
My brain scrambles, refusing to connect the dots—until she grins, hand on her stomach.
It slams into me all at once. “No. Shut the fuck up.”
She just nods, eyes shining.
“You’re pregnant?”
She nods again, grin growing wider.
“Holy shit.” The words rip out of me as I stagger to my feet, running a hand through my hair. A laugh bursts free, wild and disbelieving. “Holy fucking shit. I’m gonna be a dad?”
“Yes,” she laughs, tears spilling over.
“We’re gonna be parents?” My hand lingers on my head.
I still can’t believe it. “Get up here, babe.” I pull her into my arms and bury my face in her neck.
The emotion hits late but hard, my chest caving and expanding all at once, joy detonating like a bomb.
I cup her face and crash my mouth to hers, my voice breaking against her lips.
“God, you’re amazing. You’re everything. I can’t believe this is real.”
She pulls back just enough to ask, “Are you happy?”
My gaze catches on her dimple, my throat thick. “Are you serious? Look at me. I’m a fucking mess.” My vision blurs. “God, I’m feeling so many things.”
“So… you’re happy?”
“Jesus,” I choke out, nodding. “Yeah.” My thumb traces her bottom lip. “Yeah, babe. I’m really happy.”
I kiss her again, slower this time, letting it sink in. Every ounce of joy, relief, and love spills into her mouth, into us. Into the life we’re about to build together.
Her palms glide up my chest, one hand sliding around the back of my neck, fingers gripping tight. She pulls me closer, moaning into my mouth, and damn, I want her. The craving hits harder than any high I ever chased. Because in this moment one thing fills every thought:
Us.
It’s not just her or me anymore—we’re a unit now. Alley. Me. Our baby.
I have everything a man could ever want.
A beautiful wife. A home. A family. God, I can’t believe I almost threw away the chance at all of this.
And beneath the joy, there’s a flicker of fear.
This isn’t just about her anymore. It’s no longer about just staying clean.
I have to provide a stable life for my family.
Protect them. Be an example. And I’ll never let myself fuck it up.
I drag her bottom lip gently between my teeth, then ease back and rest my forehead against hers. A grin tugs at my mouth as my hands drift to her belly, splaying a palm flat against it. “How far along are you?”
“Not far. Only seven weeks. I don’t want to tell people yet. Not until we’re farther along.”
“How long have you known?”
“Only a few days. It’s been killing me not to tell you.”
“I don’t know how you kept it a secret. My family’s gonna go nuts over this.”
She laughs, soft and sweet. It’s fucking music to my ears.
“Do you really not feel well,” I murmur, “or was that just a ploy to get me up here?”
She plants her lips on mine. “I really am tired. Exhausted, actually. And I get bouts of nausea. But no.” She shakes her head. “I’m not sick.” She kisses me again.
And again.
“Why don’t you go lie down then.” I cock a brow. “You can be my pillow princess.” I press a kiss to her forehead. “Let me take care of you.”
“Ooh. I do love being a pillow princess.” She giggles, her fingers slipping under the hem of my shirt. They trace the grooves of my abs, heat sparking everywhere she touches. My cock jerks, growing harder by the second.
When her thumbs dip below my waistband, I grip her ass and scoop her up into my arms. “Yeah, we’re fucking. We have to celebrate.”
She laughs as I carry her out of the room and down the hall to the bedroom, where our bed is the only thing put together. I toss her onto it, then cross my arms and pull my shirt over my head.
She sinks into the pillows, settling in, and I dive onto the mattress beside her, making it bounce. My lips find hers, and I let myself get lost. Because if there’s ever a time to get lost, it’s with Alley.
She’s the love of my life. My anchor—my way back, every time.